Charles Dickens' pocket watch engraved with his initials up for auction

01 March 2024 , 13:08

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Charles Dickens' pocket watch (Image: No credit)

Charles Dickens' pocket watch engraved with his initials is set to go under the hammer next month - expecting to fetch up to £4,000.

The open-faced, key-winded watch - which dates all the way back to 1836 - is engraved with the initials 'CD' as well as with an early pseudonym used by the celebrated author. The fancy timepiece was gifted to Dickens, to commemorate the anniversary of his editorship of a literary magazine.

Stride & Son, the auctioneer selling the watch, described the piece as being 'unprecedented' in terms of historical Dickens memorabilia. It's estimated to fetch between £2,000 and £4,000 at the auctioneers' antiques sale in Chichester, West Sussex, later this month.

Accompanying the pocket watch will be a brass-bound walnut ebonised desk gifted by Dickens to his favourite daughter Catherine. Both items, which are up for sale for what is believed to be the first time, come from descendants of the author's family and are described as being of 'national importance'.

Dickens' William IV gilt metal watch was gifted to him at the close of the first year of his editorship of the literary magazine Bentley's Miscellany. The rear of the case is engraved: "Dearest 'Boz' editor Bentleys Miscellany Dec.1836," with the initials 'CD' to the left and right of the centre.

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Boz was a pseudonym used by Dickens in some of his early writings. Concluding the serialisation of his famous novel The Pickwick Papers the following year, Dickens resigned from his editorship after falling out with founder Richard Bentley in 1839. The desk set features a central plaque engraved: "Happy Birthday Little Lucifer Box 20 Oct 1859," whilst the lid of the lower section has a circular plaque engraved: "Catherine Elizabeth Dickens".

It's believed the set was gifted by Dickens to his favourite daughter on her 20th birthday. He is said to have referred to her as 'Little Lucifer Box' on account of her 'fiery temper'. As the watch came by descent with the desk set, auctioneers said it was 'tempting' to presume that Dickens had given his watch to Catherine along with the desk, which has an estimated auction price of between £400 and £600.

Barnaby Chiari, a consultant at Stride & Son Auctioneers, explained: "Both items are of national importance. The watch would appear to be unprecedented in terms of historical Dickens memorabilia, both as a talisman of the author's early literary career, and a unique object, the like of which we can find no comparison." Both lots have come from a deceased estate, originating from the Portsmouth area." The items will go up for sale together on Wednesday, March 6 at 11am.

Rom Preston-Ellis